Yay, another Hello Kitty themed cafe! Although this one is much more than just a cafe.

Bangkok’s Hello Kitty House has three levels, and is designed like the home Hello Kitty herself lives in, with family photos all around, kawaii decorations, and every shade of pink.
The first level, where you enter, is the cafe, which offers food, drinks, and desserts. The dishes range from popular Thai dishes to general Western food, like sandwiches. The desserts are gorgeous and abundant in variety. The beverages were my favorite, and include everything from hot tea to smoothies.

I tried the photogenic Rainbow Crepe Cake and the Banoffee Pie. Both were very mediocre in flavor and texture, but beyond adorable. The Rainbow Crepe Cake is their best seller, with a light vanilla flavor and strawberry jam on the side. I thought the cake was bland and the texture was strange, but had to have one for my instagram. The Banoffee Pie is almost too cute to eat, with a layer of very light banana pudding on top of (dry) chocolate cake. There are chocolate candies hidden in the center of the cake.

But I absolutely loved my Hello Kitty Pink Smoothie, the house special. Its actually a strawberry and bubblegum flavored drink, topped with pink whipped cream. I wasn’t sure about the flavors at first, but its a delicious combination. So much so, I stopped by the House the next day just to get one to go.

The basement level was my favorite level, with the Hello Kitty shop and spa. The spa offers the usual treatments, with a Hello Kitty twist. Services include Hello Kitty mani-pedis and eyelash extensions. The shop sells as variety of Kitty branded items, along with a lovely wall of Hello Kitty kitchen and baking items… I picked up a Hello Kitty House tshirt, a sweet hat, tumbler, and some keychains (I will be back to buy everything else soon!).

Its Fall break from business school for me this week, which means I will be jetsetting around the domestic states for the next few days. I will spend the next five days in four different cities – part educational, part mileage run, part friendly fun. I’ve fully stocked my (ibook) reading shelf for the trip.

I’ve been on a real tearjerker kick. I just finished reading The Best Part of Me, by Nicholas Sparks, which was a sweet tearjerker, along the same veins as the rest of his novels. Nothing new or different if you are used to his novels, but still a very entertaining read. Right after that, I devoured If I Stay, by Gayle Forman, which was even more of a tearjerker. I really enjoyed the lyrical narrative style of the writing, and couldn’t put it down.

Next up is It Starts with Food, the Whole30 reset challenge. I don’t think I would ever be able to actually do the challenge, due to my absolute love of all foods (especially the carby, cheesy, sweet kind.. have you seen what I eat?!), but I do like reading about food and how you are what you eat. Its fascinating and I try to read these types of books to be more health conscious… but life is too short to not eat what you want when you want!

For fast paced reading entertainment, I am reading the Divergent trilogy. I was so sure I read the entire Divergent trilogy until I watched the movie, and then I realized I only read the first book and had to wait a year until the next one came out.. and promptly forgot about the series.

I am SO incredibly excited for this! As part of Hello Kitty’s 40th Anniversary celebration and the Hello Kitty Convention, Sanrio is bringing you Hello Kitty’s Hungry Hunt! Check out the details:

Starting October 24th and running through November 21st, participating venues in Los Angeles will each offer a yummy Hello Kitty food or beverage item created exclusively for this special occasion. Curated to bring a diverse offering ranging from modern American comfort food such as burgers, to sushi, ramen, and other delicious varieties of Asian fusion, to tea and scrumptious desserts, the program is sure to offer something for everyone to enjoy.

Embracing Los Angeles’ culture of culinary adventure while promoting Sanrio’s “Small Gift, Big Smile” philosophy, each Hungry Hunt menu item will also include a collectible Hello Kitty’s Hungry Hunt pin featuring Hello Kitty enjoying a different treat from each of the participating restaurants. Throughout the duration of the Hungry Hunt, fans and foodies can follow the official Hello Kitty’s Hungry Hunt map to visit each location, enjoy all of the tasty treats and collect the limited edition pins that feature Hello Kitty holding each restaurant’s special food item. The pins are available while supplies last.

I spent a long weekend in Charleston to capture the last remnants of summer. It was my first time in South Carolina, and I was captivated by it’s sweet romantic charm, straight out of a Nicholas Sparks novel. It was the perfect way to send off summer, with delicious eats, blue skies, saltwater breeze, and not a care in the world.Pumpkin Bread Pudding French Toast at Charleston’s Cafe: ooey, gooey, creamy decadence. Drenched in vanilla creme and maple syrup. Their famous shrimp and grits are also exceptional.Queen Street, rooftop bar at The Vendue with rain clouds.Nachos by The Vendue – duck, guacamole, salsa, sour cream, pepperjack cheese. Thick, crunchy, and flavorful.

Dinner at Poogan’s Porch: Mac & Cheese to start. Country ham and aged gouda. Melty with strong Gouda flavor.Low country Sweet Tea glazed Salmon, with glaze on the side. Atop a bed of amazing blue cheese risotto and complemented with crunchy brussel sprouts. I thought the sweet tea glaze was weird, and was really glad it came on the side. Absolutely obsessed with the blue cheese risotto though.. how can I re-create it?!Isle of Palms.Jeni’s ice-cream on King’s Street! I’m a huge fan of Jeni’s ice-cream, but I’ve never been in a retail shop before. I had a grand time sampling all the flavors, and had to go with the amazing Buckeye State (think peanut butter chocolate buckeyes swirled into peanut butter ice-cream) and the unique Sweet Cream Biscuits and Peach Jam. I also loved how they used local ingredients and had a Charleston exclusive flavor – Sweet Cream with Rum and Peanuts.I ended the trip with dinner at 82 Queen: crab cakes with fried mac & cheese. Fantastic ambience; we ate in a gorgeous outdoor garden covered in twinkly lights.